Edge finishing machine



Dec, 28, 1937. T. G. wxNNx-:TT

EDGE FNIsHING MACHINE Filed Dec. 3l, 1936 Patented Dec. 28, 1937 UNITED STATES EDGE FINISHING MACHINE Thomas G. Winnett, Whitman, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 31% 1936, Serial No. 118,615

s. claims. (ci. 6er-1);,

This invention relates to machines for finishing the edges of pieces of sheet material and is herein illustrated as embodied in a machine for finishing the edges of pieces of upper leather,

such as may be used in boots and shoes. It has been herein illustrated as embodied in a machine of the type shown in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1;989,682, granted February 5, 1935, on the application of J. B. Coffey.

' such as leather, by shrinking the `margin and curling the edge, commonly employ a U-shaped searing tool which is pressed against the margin of the esh side of the leather and frequently employ a plow positioned beside the crossbar of this U-shaped tool to assist in turning up or i curling the edge of the material as it is shrunk by the action of the heated tool. When a tool of this character is heated electrically by the passage of current through the crossbar, the latter preferably is of substantially uniform cross section in order that the heating effect may be uniform along the length of the crossbar. This tool is heated to approximately a red heat and although the material employed is chromel, an

alloy ladapted to withstand such intense heat, thel cross section of the tool is necessarily not very large. Consequently, the crossbar of the tool sometimes is bent upwardly by the work. At other times, the crossbar is distorted outwardly away from the plow when, for some reason, lthe work is jammed between the tool and the plow, as by the carelessness of an operator in presenting the work.

An object of the invention is to guard against the distortion of the tool by means which provides an auxiliary support for the crossbar.

As illustrated and in accordance with features of the invention, the tool-supporting device comprises an arm the end of which is notched to rest against the upper and outer sides of the crossbar, thereby furnishing support against distortion in two directions and without radically affecting the temperatureof the crossbar.

The arrangement will be best understood from a consideration of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is an end elevation of the tool-carrying means;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the tool and the adjacent plow in section;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the tool support, looking down on the crossbar and the 65 auxiliary supporting device, and

Fig. 4 is an elevation showing vice.

I4 and I6. The crossbar of this "tool'is pressed against theflesh side of a piece ofleather 20 vas the latter is carried past the tool either vwhile "Machines forV finishing the edges of pieces,

held by the moving clamps 22, 24, as in the ma-V V`chine such as is described 'in theabove-mentionedhpatent, or by anyV suitable means. Co-

operating with ,the searing,A tool and positioned jbeside the crossbar `I2, vis "'a plow'ZB which impar/ts an initial bendv to the margin of themate- Arial and assists in the curlingY action of thema-`v 4 The heating of the tool is effected by electric current supplied through heavy conductors 28 and 33, the downturned ends of which are grooved, as at 32,Y to receive the legs of the searing tool, which latter is held in place by sleeves 3 and 36. Set screws 38 are threaded in the lower end of each conductor and bear against the legs I4 and It of the tool to press them against the sleeves 34 and 36 which are also provided with grooves corresponding to the grooves 32 in the supports. A depending lug 40 on the sleeve Y34 and a similar lug 42 on the sleeve 36 rest against the legs of the tool to strengthen them against lateral deflection. Pins near the upper ends of the grooves 32 form stops against which the upper ends of the legs are rested.

In accordance with my'invention, distortion of the crossbar I2 of the tool is avoided by providing an L-shaped supporting member 50, the lower portion oi which is provided with a notch 52 (Fig. 2) resting on the upper and outer sides of the crossbar adjacent to its mid portion. The upright leg of the L-shaped support 5l) is clamped against the sleeve 34 by means of a clamp member 54 held in position by a clamp screw 56. Preferably, the support 5B is insulated, as byy a sheet of mica, from the sleeve 34. 'By reason of the high temperature, a scale forms in the notch Y 52 which is quite effective in insulating the lower end of the support from the tool.

As in the patented machine, the conductor support 28 is positioned by insulated clamps 60 in a cap member 62 which is tiltable about pivot screws $4 as the adjusting screw 66 is turned to bring the crossbar l2 nearer to or farther away fromr the plow 26. The other conductor 30 is insulated from and clamped in a depending arm 10 which may be swung about pivot screws 'l2 as the length in `detail the arrangement of the auxiliary tool-supportingde-v CII heated. The cap 62 is carried by the pivot screws 64 on an arm 14 which, in turn, is movably supported by pivot screws 16 on the frame 80 of the machine. The vertical position of this arm is determined by a regulating screw 82 threaded in the arm 14 and having a ball-shaped lower end 84 which is held in position on the frame by means ofk a slide moved in and outby a hand screw 86 to lock or release the arm.

In the use of the machine, the tool I is adjusted with respect to the plow 26 by i'lrst bringing it into contact with the plow by adjusting the screw 66. This will result in an obvious cooling of the searing tool. The screw 66 is Vthen turned to move the tool away from the plow just far enough so that it resumes its normal heat, as indicated by the color. 'Ihe L-shaped support 50 is adjusted in its clamp so that the notched end thereof touches y lightly against the crossbar of the .searing tool without causing the color Yof the crossbar to change because of heat loss. An oxide or scale is apparently formed in the notch of this support whichY insulates the support from the tool. Electrical insulation of the lower end of the support from the tool is not needed because of the insulation of the upper end of the tool from its support.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for treating the edges of leather, a U-shaped searing tool having legs connected by a crossbar, means for supporting said legs, and auxiliary means for supporting the crossbar against upward bending.

2. In a machine for treating the edges of leather, a U-shaped searing tool having legs connected by a crossbar, means for supporting said legs, and auxiliary means for supporting the crossbar against lateral bending.

3. In a machine for treating the edges of leather, a U-shaped searing tool having legs connected by a crossbar, supportsV for said legs, and

' means 'carried by one of said supports engaging a mid portion of the crossbar to prevent its distortion.

4. In a machine for treating the edges of leather, a Ulshaped searing tool having legs connected by a crossbar, supports for said legs,

Vand means carried by one of said supports and having a Aportion overlying the mid portion of the crossbar.

5.'In a machine for nishing the edges of leather,Y a U-shaped searing tool having legs and a crossbar, supports for said legs adapted to supply electric current thereto, a plow beside the crossbar, and means for supporting the cross-L YTHOMAS G'.l WINNETT. 

